Week 36 -- Homestead
We've reached the final week of the season, and boy am I glad. Frankly, keeping up these logs every week for the past nine months has been a lot of fun, but it gets to be a time drain, and I'm ready to move on to other projects. But not before we share the final race in the championship Chase.
This is going to be interesting. With Kurt Busch winning the pole and Jimmie Johnson having to take a provisional, the stage is set for a dramatic run to the checkers. There are also some guys desperate for first wins, or to make their case for rides in 2005. Plus we have some unfamiliar faces in the mix with Shane Hmiel, Martin Truex Jr., and Boris Said. This will be fun...
Glenn's (final) Ten:
* Kasey Kahne (winner) -- Book 'em, Dano. I've been waiting to make this prediction all year. Kasey has run well enough to be the runner-up five times this season, and he has been cheated out of victories at least two others. But this is the same track where he won his lone Busch race last season, and he won the truck race there Friday evening. He is also driving the #9 that Bill Elliott dominated in last year before blowing a tire on the final lap. Those notes should help get him to Victory Lane on Sunday. These guys want to end the season with a win, so motivation always helps.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Jimmie Johnson -- Jimmie parked the car after his abysmal qualifying run Friday. This makes me think he probably had it set for race conditions and was (basically) happy with how it handled. He'll have a big hole to dig out of, but look for him to be close to the front at the finish line along with...
* Jeff Gordon -- Jeff also setup his car in race trim and qualified fifth. Bad news for Kurt Busch. Jeff has been quietly rope-a-doping his way to the championship. He's just 21 points back. Don't count him out for finally getting a win here.
* Ryan Newman -- Got taken out in an early crash here last year. He's had enough DNFs for 2004.
* Bobby Labonte -- Last year's surprise winner led only the last lap. After back-to-back top 10s in the past two weeks, I like him for a good run here.
* Kurt Busch -- I have this vision of the championship celebration, and it doesn't involve Kurt. Rousch drivers had a miserable time here last year -- Busch got taken out in the crash that claimed Newman, Matt Kenseth toasted an engine and finished dead last. Greg Biffle (35th), Mark Martin (33rd). Only Jeff Burton (14th) had a decent finish. This doesn't bode well for another Roush Cup win. Still, I think Kurt will pull out the stops and finish in the top 10, but he'll juuuuuust miss the title.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Don't know why he didn't do better here last year. I think he'll go out with a respectable finish if not the title.
* Jamie McMurray -- Stepping up his game in preparation for 2005.
* Carl Edwards -- He's a Rousher, but he's proving himself worthy. Ought to be interesting to watch next season.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- If Kasey can win, Jeremy can sneak into the top 10 to save face in his forgettable championship bid.
Championship prediction: Johnson (1st), Gordon (2nd), Busch (3rd), Dale Jr. (4th), Mark Martin (5th after toasting an engine).
